Trek from Kidmang to Kiangdam, Changtang region, Ladakh, India (August 2024)

Part 1/2: Kidmang to Nyima Gompa

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Map and GPS waypoints:

Left: Red-line route of the trek drawn on a portion of the 1:150,000 South Ladakh & Zanskar map, Editions Olizane, Switzerland. (Click on this map to see a larger version of it in a different window). The green dots mark the locations of our successive campsites; the brown dots mark the locations of the five successive passes. The red-line route is based on GPS waypoints I recorded during the trek. To access these waypoints, click here, download the ladakh-2024.kmz file, and open this file in Google Earth. The waypoints with green icons are night camp locations and those with brown icons are the locations the passes crossed during the trek. The remaining waypoints, all with yellow icons, are intermediate locations.

Acclimatization day in Kidmang

Nurboo, Stanzin, and Tundup drove to the village of Kidmang from Leh, the start of the trek, where Tse-Wong joined us with his horses, coming from his village (Puga). We spent two nights and a full day in Skidmang to allow me to better acclimatize to the new elevation.

Traditional houses in Kidmang.

Left: Water mill used to make tsampa from barley grains. Right: Tsampa made by the mill.

The small village of Kidmang has two gompas! An old one and a new one. The new one is larger, but not interesting. The old one, said to be 900 years old, boasts remarkable wall paintings. Below are photos of the old gompa.

- Inner courtyard (left) and entrance door of the prayer room (right).

Remains of a snow leopard hanging strangely on one side of the courtyard.

The small square-shaped interior of the prayer room is filled with hanging silk brocades and various religious objects and relics.

[Left: Sculptures, called torma, made mostly of flour and butter and used as offerings in Tibetan Buddhism. Right: Old puja drum.]

But the real attraction lies in the ancient wall paintings.

Our camp in Kidmang, slighly above the village, next to a small creek of reasonably clean water.

Day 1 of trek: Kidmang to Kidmang Doksa

The word ″doksa″ is used to call a temporary settlement where cattle are taken for summer months.

This first day of trekking was short and felt like another acclimatization day.

Chortens and prayer flags at the start of the trek above our camp in Kidmang.

Looking back toward the Indus valley. The red building is the large new gompa of Kidmang.

View of Kidmang and its small reservoir.

Further up, with Nurboo walking ahead of me.

Nurboo next to a former ″wolf trap″.

Sheepfolds at Kidmang Doksa.

We set our camp above these shepherd houses, near a clean spring.

Tse-Wong unloading the horses.

Beautiful Tibetan-style rug and wooden saddles used on Tse-Wong's horses.

Day 2 of trek: Kidmang Doksa to Puga Sumdo, across Zildal La (5230m)

The word ″sumdo″ designates a place at the junction of two rivers. Puga is the name of the nearby village, where Tse-Wong resides.

This was a much longer day, The following photos show successive views above our camp until we reached a ridge shoulder and changed direction.

View from the ridge shoulder (roughly at GPS waypoint 06) over the village of Chumathang at the bottom of the valley.

Flock of blue sheep (bharal).

Cloud play above hills.

Long valley leading to Zildal La. Our route will pass by sheepfolds that are barely visible halfway up the hillside to the right of the first photo below.

Sheepfolds along the way.

Further up toward Zildal La.

At Zildal La:

- Looking back toward the valley.

- Looking in the direction of Puga Sumdo.

Nurboo begins the descent from the pass.

During the descent we were soon caught in a heavy rain shower, with a litte sleet. Partial sunshine came back after we set our camp a short distance above the village of Puga. The two photos below show views from our camp, with ever-changing clouds.

Day 3 of trek: Puga Sumdo to Rebel La ″base camp″

Yet another view from our camp, in the early morning.

Mani walls on slopes above the village of Puga. They seem to have been built to protect the village.

Village of Puga, inhabited by Changpa people. (Some of the newest houses have been provided by the Indian government.)

More traditional houses on the other side of the river at the beginning of the trail ascending Rebel La (named Sumdo La in the Olizane map).

Successive views along the ascending trail.

Sheep folds built with stones and dry dung ″cakes″.

Day 4 of trek: Rebel La ″base camp″ to Nyima Gompa, across Rebel La (5730m)

Early morning at our camp below Rebel La, well above 5000m.

Start of the final push toward Rebel La from the camp.

Successive views before reaching the pass.

[Curious, but careful, kiangs (wild Tibetan asses) seen along the way.]

Rock formation at Rebel La.

Views of Rebel La.

Looking forward (toward the south) from Rebel La, with the first (northernmost) of the two Kyun Tso (lakes) visible at the center of the photo.

Close-up centered on the lake.

Stanzin and Nurboo begin their descent from Rebel La.

Views during the descent.

[Looking back toward Rebel La. The pass, which is hidden by a hump in this photo, is located immediately to the left of the distinctive rock formation.]

[View toward the east from the last ridge before reaching our camp site.]

Our camp near Niyama Gompa. The big blue tent had already been set up by Tundup and Tse-Wong. The small gompa is barely visible (in white) on the left of the photo. Nurboo and I will stop by it on the next morning.

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